The sizes and shapes of automobiles and the types and locations of parts projecting therefrom, such as bumpers and the like, are constantly changing so that rotary brushes used in automatic equipment for washing vehicles are frequently and seriously damaged under circumstances which cannot be adequately anticipated. Thus, it is of great importance to provide a brush construction which can be quickly and easily, hence inexpensively, repaired to minimize loss of money and time, thereby increasing the efficiency in, and profit from, the car washing operation.
It is equally important that the rotary brushes be capable of quick and easy removal and replacement where such is necessitated by the wear and tear of the brush bristles resulting from ordinary use. Further, due to the size and shape of automobiles, and the various parts which project therefrom, selected areas of the brushes are subject to a more rapid rate of wear than are other brush areas. These selected areas, when worn, prevent adequate washing of the vehicle and thus it is often necessary to replace the complete brush assembly or, in the alternative, substantially disassemble and reassemble the complete brush assembly in order to replace a worn section.
Further, with the advent of rubber or other shock absorbing bumpers on the vehicles, it has been discovered that those areas on the brushes which contact the bumpers not only tend to have greatly increased wear, but also have a tendency to "hang-up" or become locked to the car bumper. This can result in damage to the vehicle, brush or both.
The increased wear caused by vehicle projections, such as bumpers, obviously requires substantially increased maintenance and replacement of the brushes. Likewise, the potential damage which worn brushes can cause to the vehicles has increased the maintenance required and has thus decreased the profit of such car-washing operations.
Many attempts have been made to produce brushes which would successfully overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, and one such brush construction is disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3 439 373. However, in a continuing effort to improve upon, and reduce the cost of, the procedure of replacing worn or damaged brushes or brush bristles, while at the same time increase brush wear, I found that much time could be saved by constructing the brush from a plurality of removable arcuate brush sectors which could also have the bristle density thereof varied as desired to result in optimum washing and wear characteristics relative to the configuration of the vehicles.
Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved rotary brush structure which provides a rotary drumlike hub or frame having a plurality of removable arcuate brush sections mounted thereon. The brush sections preferably comprise semi-cylindrical shells which are mounted in opposed pairs on the hub. Several pairs may be disposed axially adjacent one another along the length of the hub. This brush structure thus enables individual worn sections to be easily removed and replaced without requiring disassembly of the entire brush construction. At the same time, this structure permits various brush sections to be axially interchanged or their orientation reversed to provide for more uniform wear on all of the brush sections.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved brush construction, as aforesaid, which enables the arcuate brush sections to be attached to or removed from the hub in a simple manner while at the same time the arcuate brush sections can be individually economically constructed.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved brush construction, as aforesaid, which is extremely durable but of rather light weight so as to facilitate the mounting and driving thereof to thus minimize wear on the bearings and other associated driving parts.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved brushing construction, as aforesaid, wherein some of the arcuate brush sections have a variable bristle density, such as by having a plurality of short bristles uniformly intermixed with a plurality of long bristles, so that the outer portion of the brush section is of lower density than the inner portions to result in improved cleaning and washing of the vehicle along specific areas thereof, such as along the ridges of the side panels and around the bumpers, while at the same time greatly minimizing brush wear.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a brush construction, as aforesaid, which includes means for effectively lubricating the high wear areas of the brush, such as those areas of the brush which contact the bumpers and the like, by injecting substantial quantities of lubricant, such as soapy water, into the brush bristles at this area to thus minimize drag of the bristles along the vehicle while at the same time improving the washing characteristics of the brush construction.